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Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix for V-Day
| Meet the Blogger | More Posts by Alana Sugar
The cold weather hasn't subsided yet, and neither has our craving for hot chocolate. Gina wrote in with a request to make a natural version of hot chocolate mix that her son can enjoy on Cub Scout outings, and we thought this would be the perfect time of year for such a recipe.
We made a new version of this seasonal favorite by making it from scratch. There are no artificial ingredients or flavors in our homemade hot chocolate recipe. And, this homemade treat makes a wonderful Valentine's Day gift! Check out the recipe we developed for Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix.
Conventional hot chocolate mixes may be highly processed. For some of the brands we checked out, the lists of ingredients included things like corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil (a trans fat) and artificial flavors. Our simple mix contains only five ingredients, and you'll immediately recognize all of them. And of course our version doesn't include any artificial ingredients. For flavor and aroma, we blended a vanilla bean with natural cane sugar to make aromatic vanilla sugar, and we used this to complement the cocoa in our mix.
Got a recipe that needs a natural makeover? Post it in the comments section below! If we select your recipe and publish the improved version on our website, we'll send you a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card.
20 Comments
Comments
Thanks for sharing this! I've been looking for a spiced hot chocolate recipe. This looks perfect.
02/10/2010 9:42:21 AM CST
I'm looking for a natural makeover for canned Cream of Mushroom Soup -- particularly for use in casseroles, like my mother-in-law's Midwestern Enchiladas!
02/10/2010 10:55:33 AM CST
My husband loves the classic green bean recipe where everything originates in a can. I would love to have a healthier recipe for that that doesn't involve a can! Or maybe only cans of green beans. If it tastes good enough, maybe I can get him to ditch the other one forever! Thanks for your help!
02/10/2010 2:03:54 PM CST
Fabulous! Next up, how about a white chocolate version for those who cannot have cocoa? Many thanks!
02/10/2010 2:16:32 PM CST
I would love to see a dairy-free Irish Soda bread; I haven't had any in years since it would be dangerous, and I miss it greatly, but can't figure a way to do it.
02/10/2010 2:52:37 PM CST
Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (for recipes that call for the gross stuff in the can)... I can't find a good substitute (Whole Foods and Trader Joes' don't carry anything that I can find). I like to use it for the filling in Chicken Pot Pie, Creamy Chicken Enchiladas, etc.
02/10/2010 2:54:01 PM CST
How 'bout you package this hot chocolate recipe up so we can buy it ready made????
02/10/2010 3:31:59 PM CST
What about if you want to do this with an alternative natural sweetener (like agave nectar) and if you are doing this vegan, no soy (a lot of people are very sensitive to soy)?
02/10/2010 3:48:10 PM CST
How about a pecan pie makeover? One that doesn't use corn syrup.
02/10/2010 7:03:04 PM CST
I would love to have a healthy fudge make-over recipe! Fudge pieces are fun to decorate and a treat to bring to any party!
02/10/2010 8:24:34 PM CST
I would give anything to find a recipe for Stouffer's Chipped beef! I love it but can't eat it because of all the garbage in it.
02/10/2010 9:08:16 PM CST
hi there, since winter is still kinda here and i just love my comfort foods, how about a natural mac 'n cheese recipe?
02/11/2010 12:22:13 PM CST
my wife and i have pancake/waffle saturday every week and would just love to have a more natural way of making this tasty breakfast, somehow aunt jemima is just not doing the natural thing!
02/11/2010 12:24:56 PM CST
I would love to see potatoes au gratin given a makeover!! :)
02/11/2010 5:27:59 PM CST
I'd love to see an improved version of a favorite comfort food, lasagna!
02/11/2010 11:47:46 PM CST
For hot chocolate, I don't use any special ingredient, but it could be worth checking your version.
I don't have a recipe now but would want to have a gift card.
02/13/2010 7:34:20 AM CST
@Shannon: Try our recipe for Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2605
@Michelle: Check out our lighter version of Scalloped Potatoes: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2637
@Costette: Our Green Bean Casserole recipe uses fresh green beans and homemade baked onion rings for a topping: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1284
02/16/2010 10:40:20 AM CST
To Aejin Hahn,
You can use brown rice syrup (in equal parts) to replace high fructose in pecan pie recipes. NO noticeable difference in flavor or texture. Just sticky, gooey goodness! :)
02/17/2010 5:02:34 PM CST
I myself usually cook chocolate, but I liked your recipe. I'll try to somehow make.
01/10/2011 2:08:55 AM CST
Standard Biscuits & Shepherd's Bread
2 cups enriched flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 tablespoons shortening
2/3 to 3/4 cup milk
Directions sift dry ingredients cut in shortening until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add milk mix until milk follows fork around the bowl. Roll gently on floured surface. Pat until about 1/2 inch thick. Instead of using a biscuit cutter I use the top of a small drinking glass. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 450 degrees 12 to 15 minutes. Makes one dozen biscuits.
01/29/2011 5:06:51 PM CST